10th Legislative District rep from Camano named House whip

State Sen. Barbara Bailey (R-Oak Harbor) and Rep. Dave Hayes (R-Camano) have both been elected to be whips in their respective caucuses. Bailey and Hayes were also both reelected this month.

The new positions means they will be part of the leadership teams for their respective caucuses. It’s an achievement for Bailey, who’s still in her firm term. She’ll be the majority whip, the fourth-highest position in the Senate Republican caucus.

Whips work to gather votes in the party and ensure that caucus members are there for floor votes. They are considered to be the party’s enforcers. Frank Underwood in House of Cards, for example, starts out as the majority whip in the U.S. House; Bailey and Hayes, however, are expected to use very different tactics.

“It is so important that legislators are present and ready to vote,” Bailey said. “The coming legislative session will present many challenges that will shape the future of our state. That work can’t be fully realized unless we are all engaged.

Bailey said she will also continue to work on critical policy issues, such as higher education, health care and the budget.

Hayes was elected Monday as the whip in the House Republican House. Hayes, who begins his third term in January, previously served as assistant whip and is also the current assistant ranking Republican on the House Public Safety Committee.

“This will also put me in a position to provide a stronger voice at the leadership table for the citizens I represent in the 10th Legislative District as we tackle major issues such as education funding, the state budget, public safety, transportation and more,” he said.